The Parting Glass
by PocketHero
Summary: A young Alfred yearns to meet a real Pirate one day. So when he meets a strange older boy; Arthur, on the decks of the unfamiliar Galleon called Raíña, little does he know his life would take a turn... perhaps for the worst. USUK Romantic, Drama, Action, Angst on the decks of the Galleon Raíña. [RATED T /for now/ for SWEARS and good HEATED ROMANCE] AmericaxPirate!England ;)
1. Part 1

**Hetalia - USUK**

**Alfred(America) x Pirate!Arthur(England)**

**Inspired by: Assassins Creed 4 Black Flag**

**!Please Enjoy (written on spur of the moment)!**

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**The Parting Glass**

_~Of all the money, e'er I spent,_

_I spent it in good company,_

_And all the harm that ever I done,_

_'Alas it was to none but me._

_And all I done for want of wit,_

_To mem'ry now I can't recall,_

_So fill to me the parting glass,_

_Goodnight and joy be with you all._

_Of all the comrades that e'er I had,_

_They're sorry for my going away,_

_And all the sweethearts that e'er I had,_

_They'd wish me one more day to stay._

_But it since it falls into my lot,_

_That I should rise and you should not,_

_I'll gently rise and softly call,_

_Goodnight and joy be with you all._

_Goodnight and joy be with you all__...~_

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Remember when the world was huge?

When legs would grow up out of the earth and tower above you.

When the faces of fairies were familiar and animals could converse.

When ink scrawl etched into musty yellow pages… came alive; painting a world so strange that it was plausible, so wonderful… that it was _tangible_.

Imagine this world.

Firstly, picture the town. I want you to feel it growing around you in a miasma of senses. See the cobblestones beneath your feet, laid one after the other for as far as the road can run; little chipped and cracked monuments for each kind woman or generous trader. Every space is overflowing with life: young, furry, selfish, wizened, handsome, cold, rich and hideous; from the giggle of young lovers hidden between the kind shadows of an alley, to the wide-eyed open mouthed fish dangling off the edge of a traders stall.

I want you to smell the thick clouds of crackling wood fires lolling from the chimney stacks that clutched to one another in an attempt to salvage their poorly piled bricks from tumbling overboard, in combination with the distinct stench of alcohol and reek of rotting fish and salt.

Feel the sting of sea spray on your bare arms as the cruel bay wind whips off the tips of white tipped waves tumbling into the barnacled docks. The stones beneath your feet rocking and clacking as you sprint around corners and dart down the docks which sway against the oceans swell.

Hear the coarse holler of a jolly seaman's shanty, a cheeky broken whistle from a drunken man panting after a beautiful young lady passing by; who squeals in disgust and turns up her nose beneath her fan and struts on across the bay-side in search of that evenings family feed. Children's cheeky laughter as they kick around a ball of yarn, dodging the busy feet of merchants struggling to offload cargo from their ships which moaned from travel pains against the crying babies of prostitutes.

Taste the salt on your lips and the sweet reminiscing tang of a stolen apple from a fruit trader, too busy dealing with stray dogs and stingy customers to even notice a small child nicking an item to use as they please.

Imagine this world.

Really give yourself to this town situated on the tip of a cape. The town that stares the ocean directly in the face and will forever confront its majesty until the day the world ends. A brave bay town. How delightful, yes? A sweet civilization living of the sea and enjoying stunning scenery every second of every day. Bliss, am I correct?

Now, what if I said a single word that could change your perception of this town.

_Pirates. _

Yes… Pirates.

What if I said that this town was under control of Pirates? Hm? Not so pleasant now is it? No… well. I'm afraid to inform you that this perfect little fantasy I have made you create in your perfect little minds is in fact… _MY_ fantasy. Scratch fantasy. It's my life. My home.

If you are one who loathes tales of romance, killing the bad guys and saving the damsel in distress… that makes two.

Because this is NOT one of those stories.

It is simply MY story: The story of Alfred F. Jones.

Cape Navis became my home after my mom gave birth to me and my Papa; a reformed Privateer and sailor, decided the life of a sailor could wait until I was old enough. He was dropped on this island; part of the Isle of Carina, by his Captain and crew… we've been here ever since. My Papa is a successful fishing merchant and our family was able to set up a popular tavern on the waterfront; The Jackdaw, named after the ship my Papa worked on when I was born. Two years after I was born my brother; Matthew, was born. Mattie and I started helping out at the tavern and on Papa's fishing vessel as soon as we were old enough to bark orders at one another. Admittedly, I preferred working on the boat with my Papa… I had more freedom to roam the waters surrounding the Isle. Papa said I was a good sailor. But as I grew older he stopped asking me and Mattie to come out with him on the boat; in fact one time he refused strongly and locked me in my room so I wouldn't follow him to the docks. Papa would go fishing for weeks… which turned into months… and eventually he didn't come back at all. Mom said it was better that he was gone. The ocean was a cruel mistress.

So I started working in the tavern every night. It wasn't that boring. Every night there would be a new shipment of customers to talk to; Privateers, sailors and merchants alike, they always had stories… but the best ones were always about Pirates.

A merchant once told me a story of his sugar shipment which had been commandeered by a Galleon overflowing with vicious Pirates. They fired canons at his ship and swung on ropes across onto his decks with knives and guns glittering between their yellow teeth and scarred complexions.

I would rest on my elbows and listen in awe at the tales of real-life Pirates crawling silently like spiders on grand ships at midnight and slaughtering the entire crew of a Man of War without a single utterance made. Swift, silent and successful.

My life was so much more interesting with the hope that this Cape could someday come under the grasp of Pirate hands. It was exciting. Every night at sunset I would watch the docks silhouettes blend into the cloak of night time; waiting ever so desperately for a black flag to fly above these waters, for the shanty of savages to ride on the salty wisp of the wind. And every night I would go to sleep disappointed… hoping that tomorrow would be the day I saw a skull and cross bones.

No matter how many sunsets passed I never lost hope. Ever.

"Alfred wake up!" my eyes shot open and I whipped out my dagger which I slept with, "AGH! Put that bloody thing away will you! Its Sunday market and you slept in! Again!" my mother ripped off the bed sheets and a sharp sting of morning air gnawed at my legs and arms.

"Urrgh! But Mom-"

"No buts! How can I trust you to take over the tavern when you can barely get a bed sheet off your back? Hm? You are the eldest child and even your eight year old brother is up at the crack of dawn ready to work!" I rolled my eyes into the back of my skull when she turned her back, "I saw that young man!" I jumped in shock. How did she see that!? I swore that woman had eyes in the back of her head, "now get up! The pantry won't restock itself!" I groaned and swung my legs over the side of the bed and into my leather shoes.

"Yes Mom" I moaned.

"Or do you want to starve to death?" she called from down the stairs.

"No Mom"

"Good boy" I pulled my buckles tight and rolled up my trousers. Throwing on my cleanest shirt I clomped downstairs to an already full tavern of men and women. A man with a half shaven beard and a lady on his lap raised his glass to me as I trudged gloomily through the customers.

"Eyyy! Jonesie! Wha's wit da face!?" I shot him a death glare from beneath my fringe and he recoiled in fear.

"How many times do I have to tell you Tobias… my name is not Jonesie! It's Alfred! AL-FRED! Alfred!" he snickered through a swig of his rum.

"Whadeva yer say Jonesie! Eh heh!" I shook my head and trailed behind the counter.

"Mon where's Matt gone?" she raised a finger to a customer before smiling down at me with her pale cheeks.

"He started shopping without you dear, he'll be down at the docks probably" I nodded my head and wandered out the door.

Sunday markets were a regular occurrence in Cape Navis. It was an occasion when all the merchants and traders would set up stall along the waterfront and sell their goods to all the civilians who would come out to buy. It had become such a popular gathering that other civilians and merchants from other towns along the Isle would sail to Navis especially for these markets. Occasionally there would be a band that would play and street performers walking on stilts and juggling fire… and sometimes there would be a stall set up where the man or woman selling their goods was from far across the ocean. They are some of the most fun to talk to. Once there were two men who sailed from a place called the 'Golden Shores'… they had long blonde hair which hung just above their soldiers… funny… one of them look strangely like my brother. But they told me of their land and honestly I had never been so thrilled! I sat at their little gold stall for the whole morning listening to their stories of four Kingdoms thrown into toil and bitter war. To think that there were other lands much more vast than my own was brilliant in the mind of a ten year old adrenaline seeker… it was a dangerous dream to dream.

As I walked between the miasma of lace frocks and hard cotton waistcoats I couldn't help but notice something strange about the harbour today. There was a rather strange ship that in all my ten years of watching the same sailors sail in and out of this bay in the same ships each Sunday… this ship was something I had never laid my eyes on before. It flew no flag. There was no crew. Only what seemed to be a blot of white.

Curious… I pushed through the coats towards the steps down to the docks which squeaked and groaned beneath the drum of my feet beneath me and the slosh of sea water slurred around me as I dodged sailors hauling their cargo over their shoulders in a strained grunt; ducking and diving between their rocky legs, causing them to yell out at me. I cared not. I had to find the ship.

I skidded to a halt beneath the figurehead which rose above me like a God; the intricate carving and minute detail struck me, never had I seen a ship decorated with such precision. The angel crossed her arms over her chest and smiled down at me affectionately; I smiled up at her in awe. Wandering around her my neck craned up to the main mast; no flag, this was the ship. It was incredible. Canons lined the edge like polished black buttons on a silk jacket embroidered with yellow and navy blue; I bet when she sailed the blue would blend in with the waves and the yellow would glitter against the sun like gold.

"What ya lookin' at pretty boy?" I leapt in shock as a boy swung down from the crow's nest and landed on the edge of the ship with his hands rested upon his hips. He smirked and turned up his nose, "are ya checkin' out my girl?" my mouth opened and closed in silence like a fish for a few moments before the boy rolled his brilliant green eyes and shook his head, "s'alright… she's a beauty after all" he smiled and slumped down to sit on the edge of her. By the looks of him, he was three years older than myself.

His hair was a short filthy blonde colour which hung just above his thick eyebrows. He wore a loose white shirt with a loose white ascot decorated with a green jewel at the neck, "she likes the attention…" he chuckled and laid down on the edge and reached out a hand as a sailor passed by carrying a box of apples on his shoulder; the boy swiped an apple and held it to his eyes before pressing his lips to the red flesh and biting down fiercely. His mannerisms were… what was the word… _mesmerising_.

"What's she called?" I said climbing up onto some stacked crates beside the ship and dangling my legs off. The boy raised his thick eyebrows and smiled as he chewed.

"Raíña" he smirked and threw me the apple, resting his head in his hand. I caught the apple as I snapped back into reality after being stunned by the beauty of her name, "and what they call you?" I looked down at the apple and the place where the boy had taken a bite; I turned the apple to the fresh side and took a chunk out, it tasted so sweet. I swallowed and grinned.

"Alfred, Alfred F. Jones" I threw back the apple to the boys who nodded his head in approval; he caught the apple with one hand, a hand which was calloused and filthy. The boy looked down at the apple where I had pressed my lips to it.

"Alfred…" he muttered quietly. The boy pressed his lips and tongue to the area I had eaten. A shiver rippled down my spine as his lips lingered a little longer when he took another bite. Was that perhaps intentional? His green eyes slunk around to peer back at me; that's when my heart reached up my throat and strangled me, "Alfred, Alfred… well Alfred! S'pose ya want to know what I'm called don't ya?" he grinned, totally ignoring my reddening complexion.

"A-ah yep!" I managed to choke out.

"They call me Ar-" a gunshot echoed from behind me in the market. I spun around and saw a commotion building in the market.

"What's going on?" I turned back to the boy, "can you see?" he frowned and leapt up onto his feet and leant out. His face then softened into a smile.

"Aye…" why was he smiling? Guns were never a good sign in Cape Navis.

"What's happening!?" he looked down at me for a moment and for that moment my ribs crushed my lungs into a breathless pleasure; his emerald eyes reached their soft fingers seemed to caress my soul, my heart struggled to burst from my chest and my hands became clammy and trembled.

Meanwhile behind me the sound of a riotous crowd with yells, screams and jolly hollers was building in volume and fierceness; a large stampede of burly men began to clamber over the docks and onto the ship in front of me, yet I saw nothing but the cheeky grin of the boy above me, "I like ya Alfred…" he tossed the apple into my hands, which I fumbled to catch, "I like ya a lot…" he flipped out a knife and began to cut one of the ropes tying the ship to the docks. He was leaving.

"W-what? Where are you going!?" I called out over top of the hoarse bellows of men on the ship who swung from ropes and heaved items aboard like apes. The blonde boy simply raised his hand to his forehead and saluted to me as he then stood hands on hips balancing easily on the edge of the Galleon, "WHAT'S YOUR NAME!?" I called out again.

"Arthur Kirkland!" Arthur, "I'll see that we meet again Alfred F. Jones!" he nodded and pointed to his neck tie. I frowned and noticed the green jewel was missing, "coz I'll be needin' that back off ya mate!" he winked. I looked down at the apple; a polished emerald embedded in a gold pin had been pushed into the apple's skin, I shot back up at Arthur who was all of a sudden a spec on the horizon.

"HOIST THE COLOURS LADS!" He screamed and turned to step onto the deck. I stood frozen as a wave of chills crept over my skin like spiders when the sun was blocked by a square of material. I took a sharp breath in before shooting a look back at the boy who laughed.

A crowd of guards and men with weapons had accumulated below me on the dock and screamed curses and attempted to shoot at the gorgeous ship as she tore through the water out of the harbour, "SHIT! That was all the money I had!" one man growled and stamped his foot.

"Hey! What about all of my jewels!? My diamonds and pearls!? They're gone too!" another man snapped.

"The mayor of the town has been robbed too!" a guard bellowed as he lined up another shot with his gun. And the complaints dragged on and on and grew in number as every man and women realised their coins and precious items had been swiped from under their very noses.

But I stared at the apple; at where Arthur had taken his last bite, a notion flashed through my mind.

I pressed my lips to his last bite.

I froze.

It tasted distinctly… of rum.

So as I slowly lifted my head from the fruit; the taste of alcohol fresh on my tongue, I gazed after the ship and its black flag flying proud above the white tipped waves. And at that exact moment I knew at least one thing for certain. I had fallen in love…

…_with a __**Pirate.**_

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**I swear this fic was NOT planned.**

**I woke up last night with a thought (after having played AC4 Black Flag) **

**Brain:** _OI! WRITE A FANFICTION ABOUT PIRATES! NOW!_  
**Me:** _ARRGH! OKAY! I"M SARRY!_

**So here it is! Ahah... I hope it was worth writing. I know I write alot of USUK... I promise I will expand my fanfiction ships (until I have a whole fleet :3 )**

The title is named after the song 'The Parting Glass' which I heard being played in AC4

**LINK: watch?v=RruqZUSWxcE&list=PL7aunxBE-t0Bc5gr1XPMoFGyj_Qfm8jJy&shuffle=2139**

**I hope that link shows... eheh**

**!PLEASE ENJOY! - Pockethero**

_(Might do a second part hur hur...)_


	2. Part 2

**The Parting Glass**

**Part 2**

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"ALFRED FRANKLIN JONES!" A shrill screech echoed across the crystal waters which lapped obediently at the hull of my vessel. I lifted my head up from the carving I was so enveloped in I hadn't noticed the flutter of lace skirt striding dangerously fast down the docks towards me; clutching a little scrunched up piece of paper in her sweaty little palm. I squinted at the skirt and waved a hand above my head.

"Grace! Hey! Come look at this carving I'm working on! Isn't it gre-"

"WHAT IS THIS!?" she fluttered the paper between her dainty fist. I stared at it for a while in confusion before it suddenly clicked.

"Ah! That would be the reply to the letter you sent me love…" I grinned sheepishly and quickly ducked my head back below the edge of my ship before her icy blue eyes could further give me frost bite.

"ALFRED YOU LISTEN TO ME RIGHT NOW!" Her voice somewhat resembled the sound of long nails dragging across a blackboard; it pierces your eardrum like a hot needle, "you know how long I have waited to offer you this opportunity Alfred… you KNOW HOW LONG I HAVE WANTED TO-"

"Yeah yeah keep talkin' honey it won't make any difference to me… " I rolled my eyes and flapped my hand above my head in nonchalance. I could almost hear that vein her forehead throbbing. She exhaled and composed herself.

"My family is very rich Alfie… if you just said yes I could give you a boat much bigger and much better than the one you're on now. I could give you a grand Galleon fit for a lord! Your mother and brother would never have to work a day in their life again! Think about it Alfie! What good would it do if you simply married me?" I set down the metal carving knife and sighed as I swung my legs over the side of the boat and sat resting my head in the palm of my hand. She looked up at me in a sweltering shock. Grace and I had met in the public school we both attended and for some reason she had her heart set on becoming my wife when we both left school. She sent me love letters overflowing with cheesy fluffy remarks about how pretty my eyes were and how gorgeous my chest looked. She had been chasing me since we were fifteen… now that she has suddenly turned eighteen and I was twenty and both of us were legal to marry, she has been on my back every day; sucking the life and patience from me like a leech, or a cancerous wart with hairs growing out of it and a little voice that keeps squealing in my ear MARRY ME ALFIE. Every time I thought of her bleach blonde ringlets slicked back so tightly that her eyebrows pointed to the sky, and her full rosy red cheeks or even her pink silken corsets… I think how lucky… dead people are.

"If I married you Miss Grace, I would not need no Galleon nor piles of gold… neither would I want any velvet clothes…" a light blush sprinkled across her cheeks as I smirked that half smile no girl in this town could resist. She was totally infatuated with me.

"Oh Alfie…" she sighed.

"Shh! It is true! Don't get me wrong! I wouldn't need any of the items you have promised me, I would need nothing at all even!" she swooned and fluttered the letter like a fan as she batted her long eyelashes, "because I would have killed myself already, and corpses don't need anything but a hole in the ground" a group of sailors who were listening in on the conversation behind Grace uttered a snigger and a small chuckle. Grace's face turned such an unhealthy hue that a beetroot would have been jealous.

"ALFRED! YOU…YOU LITTLE!" she threw down the piece of paper and hitched up her skirt as she stepped onto the side of the boat; clutching the wood for dear life and scrambling onto the edge to beat me with her fists, "WHEN I GET ON THIS SHIP I SWEAR TO GOD-"

"Grace" I sighed.

"NO ALFRED! YOU WILL LISTEN TO ME NOW! I SAID WE WERE GOING TO GET MARRIED AND-"

"Grace"

"WHAT!" he red face peeped over the edge of the ship at me.

"The paint is still wet…" the colour in her face drained as she looked down at her expensive lace and silk dress, now beautifully adorned in a splatter of yellow, black and red. She screamed and flung her arms off the boat… and so she dropped into the ocean below it. The sailors on the docks were now simply wetting themselves with laughter. I peered down at the floundering mess. She kind of looked like a pink jellyfish the way her dress puffed up around her.

"I CAN'T SWIM!" I rolled my eyes and hopped into the water also; wrapping one arm around her toothpick waist I hoisted her up onto the docks like a wet flannel. She coughed and spluttered as I pulled myself up beside her; white shirt turning transparent… and of course Grace saw this and blushed, "thank you for rescuing me Alfie… my god you have the most incredible chest…" I looked down at her face. My chest spasmed. I held a hand over my mouth as I sniggered. She frowned at me, "what?"

"Y-your face… makeup has smudged…*pfft* you look like a clown! Hahaha!" I tried so hard not to laugh when black was dripping down her face and her lips were smeared across her cheeks. She scoffed and covered her face in embarrassment. She stumbled onto her feet and strutted off down the docks.

"Y-YOU'RE JUST TERRIBLE ALFIE!" she burst into tears and galloped away. The sailors wolf whistled as she passed, "SHUT YOUR FACES OR I'LL TEAR THEM OFF!" they gulped and turned away in my direction. I simply shrugged.

If you haven't noticed already… but this is not the same time as the previous chapter; in fact this chapter has leapt forward ten years into my young adulthood, which is a little more interesting than my childhood… considering I was being chased by many a female, didn't have to worry about school anymore and also… I had built my own ship. Well, building… it wasn't finished. Some of the lads from school came and brought their friends to the docks when I was about sixteen and we all began to work on building a ship together. BY god she would be a grand one… we still aren't sure what to call her.

Ten years after the Pirates looted Cape Navis times grew harder and money was harder to earn; so my Mom started to work double shifts at the tavern, and eventually grew sick. Mattie was eighteen when he took over the Jackdaw Tavern. Mom spends most days lying in bed trying to overcome the sickness that had befallen her; I already know that she is struggling to keep awake, but I know one of these days that she will fall into a deep sleep and never awaken. I could never tell Mattie this though… it would break his heart. He works so hard for Mom. The tavern is usually very full nowadays, fuller than never before with more and more sailors arriving each night; accompanied by their 'lady friends' who cling to their shoulders like monkeys, sly fingers slipping into their pockets to nick a few extra coins. Mattie does such a great job taking care of the tavern; I do what I can at night time, but during the day I'm out… I'd take my girl out on the waters to fish. When I say 'fish' I mean to hang a net over the back of her and wait for the fish to leap into my grip as I swept the horizon searching for a black flag… a flag that never came into view.

Even working in the tavern as a waiter, my gaze would eventually stray out the windows; searching for a flicker of light on the horizon, before Mattie would thrust another three drinks into my hands and bring me back to reality. Of course… I told no one of what happened all those years ago. People would belt me around the head for conversing with a Pirate, even if he was only a boy. I had always thought… since he was calling orders to the other Pirate crew members… was he perhaps the Captain of Raíña? I would think on his complexion which never grew stale in my memory. There was the occasion when my Mom and Mattie would ask where on earth I was given the emerald brooch which hung loyally on a chain around my neck; to which I would simply reply, "I found it. Finders keepers." Once Grace tried to get me to give it to her as a Valentine's Day gift. I almost struck her for that. I could sell everything in my possession; which admittedly wasn't much at all, but never in a thousand years would I part with this jewel. When the night matured and stars stretched their wispy arms and yawned, I would sit upon the tavern's roof and run my thumb over the smooth surface of the emerald; it was cool to the touch and simply looking at it offered me some peace of mind, studying each faint discolouration inside the green… it reminded me of his eyes. When I thought of those eyes the tiniest of hairs lining my spine would prickle against the chilled salt breeze.

I sat on the roof of the tavern one evening after a ridiculously busy night; a group of guards wandered in off the streets to celebrate one of their friends' birthdays, so they hired a few courtesans and came out drinking at the Jackdaw tavern. In addition to the jolly ruckus they caused, many other men and women gave the tavern a visit to join the song and dance and alcoholic pandemonium. Mattie and I were plumb tuckered out by the time the clock struck 12 am. The crowd began to die down and when the small hours of the morning dragged on there were only a handful of stragglers who hummed and reclined in their seats. Poor Mattie had fallen asleep behind the counter; so with his tired eyes off me I decided to retire on the roof.

Winter was drawing nearer, northern winds made their way between each crevice in my bones; yet nothing could push me from this spot, where I overlooked the fuzzy yellow lights like a King. I could see everything from where I sat on my throne: three stooges leaning on one another for support as they danced between the cracks in the road, a cat stretching out its spindly limbs upon a chimney pot, lovers clutching to each other beneath a lamp, a guard taking a puff of smoke by the docks… it was my Kingdom and I was the King. The town was completely hushed; save the low lulling hum of the Tavern where a man was singing a soft song, and the gentle slapping of waves against the ships clustered close together like penguins huddling for warmth against the chilly gusts.

I run my thumb over the green jewel absent mindedly. This was my Kingdom indeed… but I am a querent… and although here I am King, I want to be the lord elsewhere.

Lost in thought, I didn't notice the flicker of light on the horizon until the moon momentarily peeped out from behind the clouds. I looked up. There was a silhouette lolling towards the docks. There was a splash. The guard taking a puff of smoke by the docks turned his head towards the silhouette in curiosity. I watched as a figure strode off the ship with ease and gestured to the boat behind him without turning around. The guard picked up his gun and bummed his cigarette. The figure all of a sudden stopped in front of the guard and muttered something lowly; the guard snarled and raised his weapon, the man was then quickly disarmed by the shadow and held by the throat. I frowned and crouched lower on the roof so that I may not be seen. There was a quick exchange of words before the shadow dropped the guard and stepped on his face before making his way… closer to the tavern.

Quickly I leapt back through my bedroom window and scrambled halfway down the stairs before I heard a scrimmage, "A'ight hand over all ya got and let's get this over and done with aye?"

That voice.

The hairs on my neck prickled. I flew down the last few steps into the tavern.

A man in a long red coat sewn with gold embellishments stood at the centre of the tavern… pointing a flintlock pistol at my little brother. His hair was a short filthy blonde colour which hung just above his thick eyebrows. He wore a loose white shirt beneath the red coat with a loose white ascot.

"**she likes the attention…" he chuckled and laid down on the edge and reached out a hand as a sailor passed by carrying a box of apples on his shoulder; the boy swiped an apple and held it to his eyes before pressing his lips to the red flesh and biting down fiercely. His mannerisms were… what was the word… **_**mesmerising.**_

He turned his head towards me. I gripped the green jewel in my left hand and held it behind my back. His green eyes slunk around to peer back at me; that's when my heart reached up my throat and strangled me. Again.

"Well 'ello love… how about fetchin' me that gold I asked for aye?" did he not recognise me? After all this time… did he NOT recognise me!? I swallowed down my dry throat.

"Actually… no" Mattie shot me a frightened glance.

"Brother" he whispered snappily. The man sniggered and raised a thick eyebrow.

"Eh heh… I beg your pardon?" I frowned and clutched the jewel harder.

"You heard me!" he lowered his gun from Mattie. I relaxed.

There was a sharp crack.

My breath hitched.

My brother uttered a scream.

Slowly my head craned downwards.

A wisp of smoke rose from the hole in the wood floor millimetres from my feet.

"Now… we can do this the easy way" the man muttered as he reloaded his pistol carefree, "or we can do this the hard way… " he flicked the safety lock off the pistol and rose it to my face, "savvy?" That second when I was staring down the barrel of the man I had waited ten years to return; living in hope each day to see the dark colours flying above the bay, a phantom of a memory come reality… come nightmare. And for that singular moment a wave of mixed emotions hit me: an impermeable fear, boiling rage, heavy disappointment and thrilling lust were all bubbling beneath my skin and rapping at my skull.

A scuffle was heard in the back of my brain as three guards who had heard the earlier gunshot swept into the doorway of the tavern and raised their weapons to the red coat, "hands up Pirate filth!" they growled from behind their bayonets.

The pirate pressed his finger to the trigger and narrowed his green eyes down the barrel at me, "time's up" he smirked and squeezed the trigger.

"ARTHUR!" I yelled and fell backwards onto the stairs.

His eyes widened. The grip around the trigger softened with his expression. The pistol lowered slightly, "h-how do you-"

A second clap shrieked and bounced off the walls.

I felt no pain… actually that is a lie.

I exhaled shakily; feeling the breath rush out of my lungs like deflating balloons. A hot throbbing began in my left arm and started to drip down and swell up. I peered down at the man beneath me. He clutched his shoulder in pain as his jacket started to turn an even deeper red hue; there was blood everywhere, on him… on me.

I took a sharp breath in and pushed myself off of the ground with a coarse grunt. Arthur squirmed and panted beneath me as he clawed at the bullet hole through the jacket; face paling and slick with sweat.

My brother ran over and pulled me onto my feet, "w-why did you do that?" I watched as the three guards gave me peculiar frowns as they muttered between themselves. The senior officer stepped forward to Mattie and myself, "sorry lad" before either of us could speak the man tied my wrists together with thick rope, "it's illegal to protect a criminal" I shot him a look of disgust before looking down at Arthur who was being scraped from the floor by two other men in uniform.

"What'll happen to him?" I said nodding towards Arthur who gave me a pained; yet confused, expression.

"All Pirates get the death sentence, you should know that boy"

Not on my watch I thought.

In complete disregard for my own well-being I slammed my forehead into the senior officer and watched as he fell unconscious at my feet. Matthew gasped, "Wha!? Why would you do that!?" the other guards carrying Arthur stopped when they saw their leader lying beneath me. They dropped Arthur and immediately unsheathed their swords. Acting on mere whim I reached down my tied hands and pulled the gun from the officer's belt and aimed it at one of the guards.

"Don't move! Or I'll shoot" I yelled shakily as blood loss was beginning to blur my vision. One of them snorted and flipped his sword in his grasp.

"Pssht! You couldn't do i-" I pulled the trigger accidentally trying to re-grip. His eye exploded and he tumbled backwards. I dropped the gun in shock.

I killed a man.

Crimson pooled beneath the man's skull and dribbled between the cracks in the floor; a mere red hole where his eye should be. My stomach wrenched and I quickly swallowed the mouthful of vomit that built in the back of my throat. The other guard rushed towards me yelling obscenities with his sword pointed straight for me. Then suddenly he fell directly onto his face, so quickly I tore his sword from his hand and skewered it just beneath his shoulder; he shrieked in pain and writhed on the floor… then he fainted. I looked up to see what made him trip.

Arthur's bloodied hand was wrapped around the guard's ankle.

I exhaled and collapsed backwards onto the stairs with my head in my tied hands.

What had I done. I maimed one man and killed another… they were both innocent.

A soft warmth touched my shoulder. My head shot up to see my little brother recoil at the fast movement, "Al…" a lump in my throat developed and I shook my head from side to side as my brother wrapped his arms around me in a gentle embrace.

"I-I'm so sorry Mattie!" I coughed as tears began to roll down my cheeks. He pulled away and started to untie my wrists.

"It's going to be alright-"

"Take me to jail… I-I! I'm a murderer Matt!" he shook his head and pulled the rope away.

"What kind of brother sends his sibling to prison…" he looked across to my left arm which was spurting blood everywhere. Matthew raised his eyebrows and quickly tore a piece of his white shirt off and wrapped it tightly around my bicep; I uttered a groan as he tied it off, I looked up at my sweet little brother who offered a blood covered hand to me, "you have to get out though, more guards will come soon in greater numbers to see what all the noise was" I took his hand as he pulled me off my bum, "I can hold them off to give you time to run… but it won't be a lot so you'll have to work fast" he knelt down to one of the unconscious officers and detached their sword and gun holster, "I think you're going to have to carry him though…" he nodded towards Arthur whose movements were becoming more sluggish and his face was starting to resemble the colour of a bed sheet. Matthew buckled the belt around my hips and stood up to face me.

"Take care of Mom won't you" I sniffed and wiped my face on my right sleeve. Matthew nodded firmly.

"You've got it! It's a miracle she slept through this…" he muttered to himself.

"Bye Matthew, I'll see you again I promise" I nodded before turning to address the problem paling on the floor. Out of the corner of my eye I could see a small glittering green item by Arthur's head. Swiping that off the floor and into my pocket I knelt down to Arthur whose green eyes were glazing over, "come on Arthur" I whispered as I dug my arms beneath his legs and back, "just hold on now" his thick eyebrows drew together vaguely before his eyes fluttered closed, "shit" I flopped the man over my right shoulder and balanced myself into a steady walk out the tavern door and into the cloak of darkness.

I worked myself into a jog over the rickety stones and fogging earth towards the docks where I remembered his ship had dropped anchor. Arthur's weight increased hugely on my shoulder as the distance to the ship decreased, and a hot wet patch was growing against my back making my shirt stick to my shoulder blade. I knew exactly what was so sticky but I didn't want to think about that; all I needed to do was run a little faster to keep Arthur alive, I couldn't let him die on me… he saved my life by tripping up the guard after all. I owed him. I stomped down the wood to the docks and frantically flipped my head back and forth looking for the yellow and blue vessel with the angel figurehead, "Raíña!" I yelled at the top of my lungs, "Raíña! ANSWER ME!" my chest burnt so badly; I could feel the raw flesh inside my lungs sizzling like acid, "Raíña!"

"Aye! Who goes thar?" a single head leant overboard the edge of the Galleon twenty paces away.

"Let me board!" I yelled up at the man. He shook his head side to side.

"Agh no can do sonny! This ship 'ent for commoner such as yerself!" He chuckled through a smokers cough.

"IT'S ME YA DIMWITTED SHITPOT!" A voice from behind me bellowed; it seemed Arthur still had enough energy to scold his ship mates. The man jumped back in a sudden jolt of fear.

"AYE AYE CAP'N!" Holy crap… Arthur is the Captain, "LAY DOWN THA GANGPLANK BOYS!" there was flurry of heavy footsteps before a long plank dropped down off the ship.

"S-scurvy idiots…" Arthur grumbled as I stepped onto the plank and walked onto the decks of Raíña.

I laid Arthur down on the deck as soon as there was enough space. His head rocked back onto the wood limply and his arms and legs drooped like spaghetti strands, "wha' d'we do?" asked one of the burly men who stood above me. My hands shook as I pressed two fingers against Arthur's neck. I sighed.

"He's still alive"

"Well tha's a good start eh?"

"But not for long if we don't stop that bleeding" I stared down at the red jacket which had been frayed and torn where the bullet hit his shoulder; the red wiry material was singed and sticking to the inside of his flesh wound, "someone help me get his jacket and shirt off!" the men stood around in a circle looking at each other in perplexion shrugging their shoulders; I stared at them incredulously, "Come on! Do you want your Captain to die!?" I screamed at them. They simply stared at me.

"'Course not! But… er… we don't usually take orders from anyone but tha Cap'n aye?" they all nodded.

"You won't be taking orders from any one if you don't give me a hand!" I snarled. The men raised their brows and muttered amongst themselves.

"Do… it…" they all turned to Arthur; his voice was grainy and weak.

"But Cap'n-"

"Do it… now you babbling fools…" his breath hitched and his eyes rolled back into his skull. The pirates looked down at me instantly. Finally.

"Take off the layers on his torso and someone hand me some alcohol!" the apes of men set to work searching for some relatively good quality alcohol and the rest began to undress the Captain's torso until the wound was open.

"'Ere ya go mate" said one of the men as he handed me a silver canteen.

"What is it?" I said rolling up my sleeves and then popping the lid open to take a whiff.

"Ah… brandy ah think?" sneezed after having the unbelievably strong scent swirl in my nasal cavities, "got it from tha Cap'n's quarters" I nodded my head and knelt down beside the bare chested man.

"Someone get me some light here!" I called out just as a lamp was being lit. When light was shed upon the bullet wound my stomach wrung itself out; flakes of bone were scattered throughout the squishy red trench. I poured the alcohol upon the wound, "this is gonna hurt a bit, kay?"

Arthur screamed. His hand shot out and clutched my thigh with incredible strength; I flinched as he squeezed my skin like a vice, he ground his teeth down on one another. When I squinted hard enough into the wound I could see something small, round and black. I sat up and wiped a hand over my face, "oh gee… er… anyone have small knife handy…" he groaned in pain beneath a slick layer of sweat "get him some rope to bite…" he flicked his eyes in my direction; the pupils as pinpricks fluctuating with every touch and shot of pain.

"Wh… what are ya doin'…" he whispered between heavy pants. I simply looked down at him in disdain as a little dagger and a small length of rope was handed to me, "d-dagger… wha? Whad're doin' tah me…" I rest a hand on his forehead and leant closer to his face.

"Bite down on this... don't let it go, okay?" I pressed the filthy rope to his lips, "trust me…" he reluctantly took the rope in his mouth. I pressed the cold dagger against his sweaty skin, "ready?" Arthur furrowed his eyebrows and stared me directly in the eyes. He nodded, "alright. Three… two… one…" I lodged the tip of the blade in between his bone and the black object.

Arthur's pupils shrunk further into his eyes sockets. His back arched and he let out a blood curdling cry so riddled with anguish that even Death would have shivered.

My hands trembled at the sound; but I had to keep going, I had no choice. So I dug it in again. He yelled and screamed; rolling his eyes into the back of his head and clawing at my leg with his hand, tearing at my trouser material. My head started to spin… but I couldn't quit.

There was a dull 'thunk' sound as the black object popped out of Arthur's shoulder and onto the deck beside my leg. He exhaled and relaxed into the wood; shivering and panting like an injured puppy, the rope dropped out of his mouth.

I picked up the metal ball between my thumb and forefinger, "here we go…" a large metal bullet had lodged itself halfway into his shoulder bone when he was shot. My vision was blurring heavily at this point so I could barely see it. The crew behind me leant in to see what had been worked out.

"Phwoah! Tha's well nasty tha' is!" one of them remarked. My fingers slowly started to turn cold with numbness; I fumbled with the bullet until it fell from my fingers, "oi mate… you a'ight?"

"Yer he's lookin' kinder… white aye?" another said staring at me. Before I knew it all eyes were on me swaying uneasily from side to side.

"I-I'm fine! What are you ta-talking about?" I forced a smile and pushed myself of the ground.

"What's 'appenin'?" Arthur peeled himself from the ship's deck; eyes still hazy with pain.

"He's lookin' pretty crook Cap'n, white as a ghost!" as soon as I rose to my feet the earth was swiped from beneath me and I toppled over into the sharp embrace of the Raíña's deck. The collision rocked my brain against its walls. It was then I remembered, I too had taken some of the bullets blow; the left arm of my shirt sleeve had been entirely drenched in the colour red, hot, wet and dripping onto the deck, "Crap his arm Cap'n!" Arthur's face drained even further of colour when he witnessed this.

"Get in him in my cabin immediately" he said grimly, "you're an idiot man…

…_a bloody magnificent idiot."_


	3. Part 3

**The Parting Glass**

**.Part 3.**

"Now… we can do this the easy way" the man muttered as he reloaded his pistol carefree, "or we can do this the hard way… " he flicked the safety lock off the pistol and rose it to my face, "savvy?" the sharp metallic click filled the room like a shock wave of sound; his voice… piercing through like a needle.

My gaze locked with the dark void smirking at me smugly; the gun seemed to whisper quietly below the ruckus developing, a little cackle, "careful kid… wouldn't want to _hurt_ yourself would you?" a snide remark from an inanimate object cuddling the bullet like a baby. The bullet was ready to leap… but the shooter was reluctant it seemed. I could see his fingers tremble around the wooden hilt, his wrist jerking occasionally, his drying lips and frequent swallowing… the hazy hesitation lurking in his stare.

He didn't want to pull the trigger.

It was then three guards skidded in through the door and raised their weapons to him. His eyes flicked to the side momentarily acknowledging their arrival, before returning to mine. The thought of hesitation grew smaller in his eyes before he reluctantly pressed his finger further to the trigger and narrowed his green eyes down the barrel at me, "time's up" he smirked clenching his jaw and squeezed the trigger. So I called out the only thing that would hinder him.

"ARTHUR!" I yelled and fell backwards onto the stairs; bracing myself for the shot that never came.

His eyes widened. Arthur's shaky hands softened in relief and puzzlement. The pistol lowered slightly, "h-how do you-" he began. By then I had seen the guards make their final preparations to fire. Refusing to watch Arthur fall to a pair of petty peasants due to my stunning call, my body acted of its own accord and I launched myself from the stairs and stretched my left arm out in front of him.

It all seemed to happen in slow motion.

I threw myself in front of the Pirate whose eyes widened further as he spectated my naïve actions. He began to curse at my idiocy until the second clap of gunpowder rang in the air. The hot metal torpedoed towards Arthur's chest. But it seemed God wanted him to survive that day. The small black bullet; instead, tore through my left bicep; white cotton and red flesh spattering across the floor and my face, the force of impact spinning me towards the floor. The bullet changed its course; seeking asylum deep in the Pirate's right shoulder.

Arthur never intended to shoot.

I never intended to endanger Arthur.

The bullet was never intended for me.

The bullet was never intended for Arthur's shoulder.

The bullet was never intended… to let him live.

My eyes shot open and my body jerked upright.

Metal objects clattered onto the floor.

I was in a bed. Craned my neck around I could see a pair of metal bowls had fallen onto the floor in my jump start; a puddle grew from underneath one of them, a puddle that smelt distinctly of brandy. The same thing I had used to clean Arthur's wound. My arm ached and when I looked down at it; it had been cleaned, sewn up and bandaged. It didn't look infected either; in fact it was done surprisingly well, regardless of the fact it still hurt. That was a given. Next to me on the bed lay a grand red coat with a tear on the right shoulder, and blood stains. I reached down and ran my fingers along the fabric. It was warm. Then a thought ran through my head.

Arthur.

Immediately I tore off the sheets and forced myself onto my feet. I took only one step before collapsing onto the floor. I groaned in pain as my head spun around in circles and my knees acted as useful as jelly. After I had taken a few deep breaths and pulled myself together, I ventured around the room which swayed beneath my feet: In one corner was the double bed I had slept on, in the other corner was a large red velvet chair covered in pearl necklaces, gold coins and chests overflowing with other precious items.

At the back of the room in the centre was a huge wooden desk adorned in a huge map of the world; I frowned at the black crosses and dotted scrawl dotted all over the coasts of countries, but what was strange was how I noticed a huge red ring around the town of Cape Navis… it was old and slightly faded, but it was still there. Which made me wonder.

A large window stretched around the back of the room; and out of it there was blue, just blue as far as the eyes could see. We were sailing. I started to develop the feeling that I wasn't going to go home for a long time.

I turned around and headed for the exit.

I turned the brass knob and pushed open the door.

A gust of salt wind slapped me in the face; curing me of my migraine, and a bitter cold nipped at my skin, "mornin' Switchblade!" Switchblade? A huge ball of muscle and hair came bounding towards me carrying an armful of prickly rope; coiled around his chunky arms like an obedient serpent. The wind whistled between his incomplete grin.

"Morning to you too… uhh…" I furrowed my brow up at the man who let out a wheezy chuckle.

"Y'can call me Jack" he thrust forward a bear-like palm decorated with callouses and scars, "but th' lads call me Brigs" I shook his hand firmly in awe and wonderment.

"Brigs? Why do they call you that?" he let go of my hand and turned towards a grate on the deck.

"Take care a'tha prisoners lad… nasty business it is" he winked and chuckled before waddling towards the grate, "cath yer on topside!" he nodded disappearing below deck. Watching him go I turned on my heels to search for Arthur. A low melody seemed to hum between the bodies on deck… a peculiar purr which harmonized with the slosh of the ocean. Raíña was singing.

"OI! WATCHOUT!" someone hollered far above me. I jumped in fright and peered upwards as a small human toppled into my arms. A shot of pain rippled up my left arm as I held the little boy.

"Agh!" I cried as he opened his eyes in shock.

"Ahh!" the boy recoiled into my grip, "so-sorry!" he scrambled and squirmed away from my arms and uselessly brushed his already filthy clothing.

"You've got to me more careful!" I rolled my wounded shoulder and peered up at where he fell from.

"Ah know… Ahm still learnin'! Keep ya cool!" the boy was no more than about eight years of age and already climbing the rigging. He shuffled his feet in front of me. I sighed.

"It's alright. Everyone makes mistakes…" he peered up at me with huge blue eyes which seemed to glitter at my response, "so what do they call you?" I said kneeling down and gesturing for him to climb on my back. He stepped on with a huge smile plastered on his dirty cheeks.

"Mah dad's called Crow, so when ah was born they called me Robin! Ah little Crow really" I hoisted him into a comfortable position and began to search for Arthur again, "but mah real name's Jacob, or Jake fah short" his hands wrapped entangled themselves in my hair; growing thick from salty air, "what's your name?"

"Alfred Franklin Jones"

"Phwoah! That's alota names fah one fella!" I laughed as I stepped around some piling crates. Robin clicked his fingers in epiphany, "ah got it! You're that guy that saved tha Cap'n last night!" I nodded gingerly.

"I suppose so…"

"Switchblade!" I stumbled.

"What?"

"Switchblade. That's yah name?" I frowned and continued to walk, adjusting his weight occasionally.

"Why am I Switchblade all of a sudden!?" he leant his head over my shoulder and looked up at me.

"Y'see… aboard 'er majesty Raíña, y'are what yah do" I nodded sceptically against the rough tangled mess of black hair.

"Right…" I craned my neck around and analysed each of the ship's occupants; never really realizing how truly terrifying their faces were.

"Mah name's Robin coz I do a lot ah 'flyin' as they say…" he mumbled sheepishly into my shoulder.

"You mean… like before?" I snuck him a sly sideways glance and felt a small fuzzy ball of smug pleasure tickled my chest; it was cruel making fun of a child… but as an experienced childhood misfit, a veteran of childish tricks I thought it would be okay. He stumbled on his words before giving up, "so why is it they call me Switchbla-"

"JACOB!" the ground shook as a towering male adorned in scars with a red cloth tied around his thick salty black hair leapt off of the rigging, "Jacob god you scared me!" the man's speech was very good in comparison to the others, he must have been recruited in the England; the mainland where everyone spoke properly. He peeled the boy off my back and propped him onto the deck, "you've got to start learning how to stop falling out lad!" he tousled the boys hair with his long fingers.

The kid sniggered and playfully punched the man, "sorry Dad" the man looked at me and rolled his eyes.

"Kids ey? I'm Crow by the way" he held my left shoulder in his hand and I crumpled in pain, "Ah! Sorry I forgot!" I chuckled awkwardly.

"That's alright aha…"

"Switchblade? Alfred right?" I nodded hopelessly finally accepting the fact that I was now Switchblade to the crew, "y'know… what you did for the Cap'n…" he shook his head from side to side, "no one's ever done that before… and when you collapsed he…" he paused for a moment before smiling, "never mind, we're meant to be up in the nest"

"Uh do you know where the Captain is Crow?" I called out before he disappeared up the rigging. The man turned his head and nodded behind me.

I turned.

The sun blinded my vision as I raised a forearm to the sky and squinted.

That's when I realised that not only Raíña was charming the sea with a tune, "_Of all the money that e'er I spent… I spent it in good company~_" the silhouette of the Captain blurred into colour as I stepped closer to the sound. Arthur was uttering soft tunes against the salty wind's caress, "_And all the harm that e'er I done… alas it was to none but me~_" slowly I climbed the stairs onto the higher deck where Arthur stood behind a great golden wheel; which rivalled the sun in brilliance. I had heard crews singing shanties before aboard ships; jolly songs about the beauty of the ocean and joy of sailing… but something about this song quelled a certain melancholy deep inside my chest, I suddenly became hollow inside like a barrel with no contents, "_and all I done for want of wit~_" his voice; too, sounded hollow and broken… yet drenched in some dark nostalgia that I couldn't seem to pinpoint. A yearning in between notes, "_to mem'ry now I can't recall~_" Arthur leant upon the grand wheel as he stared forwards into the horizons glare; his green eyes seemed to hold a distant thought, a delicate notion which floated upon thin ice… the slightest disturbance would break the ice and sink the thought, "_so fill to me the parting glass~_" that is when I realised. I barely knew this man. He threatened my brother, almost killed me, we both disobeyed the law, I waltzed onto his ship, operated on him and slept between his sheets. But I knew nothing about him. He was a stranger. An intriguing stranger, "_Goodnight and joy be with you all~"_ the thought remained stagnant. It lingered like smoke.

"That was… magnificent…" I muttered standing behind the soft white shirt.

"Aye…" I heard his warm voice twist beneath the breeze.

"What's it about?" I leant against the wooden bannister beside the wheel and turned back to inspect Arthur. His lip twitched.

"Wishing people luck on their pathetic journeys to an end that was predicted, expected and eventually granted" a lump formed in my throat.

"…oh"

"It s'bout living a life without remorse… lovin' what ya do…" his eyes slunk down his nose and peered at me, "and who ya meet…" our gazes met for a split second before he flicked back to the sea, "Because in the end it never really matters what you do with your life… we're all going to die anyway" his voice sharp and cold like an icy needle. I opened my mouth to reply… but them closed it upon a worthless argument. The silence of our conversation filled with the slapping of the waves as Raíña tore through the water in glittering splendour; she was everything I had imagined her to be, she sailed smoother than a marble over silk… gliding like an eagle over the ocean's glassy surface. Taming the waves like a Queen. I smiled to myself. Arthur noticed and smirked, "what ya lookin' at pretty boy?" he chuckled, "are ya checkin' out my girl?"

"She's beautiful alright… sails like a goddess"

"Aye so…" Arthur paused before calling out to the deck below, "Oi! Brigs! Chuck us one of them won't ya!" Arthur snatched the flying red fruit from the air and held it to his eyes before pressing his lips to the red flesh and biting down fiercely, "ya must be starving mate… aye?" he raised his thick eyebrows and smirked between crunches of apple.

"Yeah!" he smirked before tossing me the apple and wiping his mouth on his shirt sleeve. I looked down at the apple and the place where Arthur had taken a bite; without thinking I pressed my lips to the same place he had, the taste of rum danced along my lips and warmed my throat with an splendorous tingle. My tongue shivered when it recalled the same taste from many years before…

**But I stared at the apple; at where Arthur had taken his last bite, a notion flashed through my mind. I pressed my lips to his last bite. I froze. It tasted distinctly… of rum.**

I snapped back.

Sheepishly l peered up from the fruit to find Arthur staring down at me with an incredulous glare. Embarrassed I threw the apple back at him; slowly feeling my cheeks sizzling with heat, I buried my face in my sleeves.

I heard a reluctant crunch when Arthur took another bite, "y-you…" he stammered, "we've met before… 'aven't we?" I frowned and craned my neck around to look up at him. I jumped in fright when I saw his face screwed up in confusion… the I remembered that he had forgotten me, "'s'that how ya know my name?" suddenly a thought hit me like a brick in the face. I patted my trouser pockets and thrust my hands inside. A cool smooth surface touched my fingers. I pulled out the object and offered it to Arthur, "what's thi-…" he stared intently at my palm; pupils shrinking to pinpricks. He snatched the brooch from my palm and studied it raptly, turning it over and over in his fingers, running his skin over the jewel. He shot me daggers, "where did ya get this!?"

"You gave it to me! Don't you remember Arthur?" he squinted at my face with burning hatred. But then… his complexion softened, "don't you remember me at all?" I shrugged uselessly. His face drained of its colour.

"Alfred…" his gaze drifted to his feet, "H-how could I forget" he whispered sharply to himself, "Alfred F. Jones…"

"Yeah, that's right… you told me your name was Arthur Kir-" a hand slapped itself over my mouth.

"Don't ya dare speak that name 'round 'ere!" his head darted back and forth, "…come with me" my eyes flicked away from his. The crew were beginning to stare oddly. Arthur noticed this. He gripped my wrist and dragged me down the stairs towards the Captain's Cabin, "Ey! Bootstrap! Take the wheel for a moment won't ya!" he hollered over his shoulder, "this lad needs a bit of a talkin' to!" he growled. The crew's eyes burned into our backs as the deck grew silent; Robin shot me a terrified look and mouthed the words '_Good Luck!'_ to me, which seemed to be the general feeling of the crew plastered on the men's faces before the door slammed shut. Behind me.

Arthur strode across his cabin and leant against his desk, "you can't just go 'round callin' me Arthur _Kirkland_ infront of tha crew Alfred!" he snarled. I cowered in the far corner of the room, "s'not right to be callin' me that…" his fists clenched against the wood.

"H-how so?" his head tilted back and he sighed exasperatedly.

"YA JUST CAN'T ALRIGHT!" he yelled into the ceiling. I stumbled backwards into the wall. He took a few deep shaky breaths.

"S-sorry Capta-"

"NO! No…" he paused, " I'm… I'm sorry… ya didn't know… s'my fault for losin' my temper" he ran his hands through his hair and flinched before clutching his right shoulder, "shit"

"Does it hurt?" I stepped warily out of the corner towards the blonde who grasped his shoulder in pain.

"Nah I'm fine-"

"Shut your face" I barked when little dots of red began to seep through the fabric.

"I beg ya pardon!?" I stepped in front of him and pressed my forefinger deep into his shoulder wound, "AGH!" He shrieked like an eagle would if it were in labour, accompanied by the sound of dying cats and untuned bagpipes.

A loud cracking sound echoed across his cabin. One half of my face burned fiercely. I stood stunned in silence. Arthur panted heavily and shivered as more red dripped through the cotton. I turned my face back to look at Arthur whose hand was also in pain now, "does it hurt now?" I muttered smugly raising a brow.

"Y-ya… idiot!" he snarled between a clenched jaw. I shrugged indifferently.

"You were the one trying to steer a Galleon with a deeply wounded right shoulder… and you're calling _me_ the idiot?" Arthur growled like an animal when I peeled his hand off of his shoulder wound. I unbuttoned his shirt and pulled it away from his chest. The wound was turning a sickly hue of pale yellow, "that's nasty… looks like I'll have to re-clean it and re-seal it…" Arthur stared at me in horror.

"An' what does that involve?" I poked the flesh on his shoulder and watched as he winced in pain.

"Nothing _too_ painful…" I looked around the room, "go take a seat over there…"

"Here's just fine" he seethed. I rolled my eyes.

"Suit yourself" I busied myself finding thread, more alcohol and a fresh strip of cotton to dress his wound; he simply pushed himself up onto the desk and sat there poking his wound warily. I closed a drawer in his dresser and something caught my eyes as I looked up: a photo frame laid face down on the top if the dresser. Thinking it had fallen over I propped it back up onto it's stand… I stopped. The glass was shattered and a black and white photo was scratched on the inside; the image was faded but I could plainly see that it was a family photo of some kind, there was a beautiful blonde female with a soft smile and cascading curls… but the face of the father was scorched out with a flame. He looked like a big fellow. There was also a little boy; he was grinning up at the crusty hole with all the adoration a boy would have for his father.

"What are ya doin'" Arthur snapped as I peered closer at the photo.

"Is this your family?" I turned ad showed him the frame. A current of fear ran through me as his face snapped to one of furiousness. I could almost see the rippling of muscles tearing through his body.

"Put it down" he whispered.

"Why is your father's face scorched out?"

"I said put it down" his teeth clenched.

"Did you do that? Why did you do that? Did something happen to-"

"I SAID PUT IT DOWN AND THAT IS AN ORDER YA FUCKIN' HALF-WITTED- AGGGHH!" I wrapped my hand around his shoulder and ground my fingers against the wound to subdue him.

"Not so strong now are you?" He sniggered up at me through beads of sweat.

I heard a metallic click.

"Am I really?" he smirked filthily. My eyes dropped down to my stomach where the face of a loaded pistol nudged into my shirt, "not so powerful now… are ya?" my own words were chewed and spat right back at me with an acidic splutter, "you're nothing more than a wannabe mate… so don't dance with me unless ya prepared to do it well. Got it _Switchblade_?"

I let go of his shoulder. He disarmed the pistol.

I set myself to work; easing the sterilized needle through thin folds of flesh, trying hard not to pull too tightly or leave it too loose. Arthur's hand gripped the nape of my neck the entire time; cold and clammy like a vice, occasionally he would let out a grunt or groan of pain when I had to push harder. But as I worked… I was beginning to experience something strange. Every time he shivered, every time he made a slight noise, every time a rush of his breath accidentally grazed my own flesh… my heart would twist in painful ways. The hairs down my spine prickled eerily. My…uh… I'll keep that one to myself actually. But even the slightest reaction from him shot me. Again and again and again. It was strangely… pleasurable. And this was creating a growing problem not only in my chest. So I had to take my mind off it.

"Tell me…" his eyes darted up at me from below his eyebrows, "why did you really come to Cape Navis…" I saw a thought leap into the green gaze; but as fast as it came it vanished.

"Passin' through… needed more gold an' stuff" he mumbled through grit teeth. I wasn't buying an ounce of it.

"Bullshit" his lips flickered, "the only thing I hate more than a clingy female…" I tugged harder on the thread. He winced.

"Ah!" My stomach flipped.

"Is a filthy liar"

"You're pesky… y'know that?" he growled.

"It's my best quality" he sighed and looked down at my feet.

"If it's so intriguing to ya… I came back 'coz I made a promise to someone I care about…" I paused, "I never break a promise…"

"**Arthur Kirkland!" Arthur, "I'll see that we meet again Alfred F. Jones!" he nodded and pointed to his neck tie. I frowned and noticed the green jewel was missing, "coz I'll be needin' that back off ya mate!" he winked.**

I quickly tied off the thread, "there" he lifted his head as I stepped back, "it's done" he turned to the wound and inspected it, slowly pulling on his shirt again.

"Not bad…" he poked at the thread which was snugly pulled together, "not bad at all… rather a work of ar-" he swallowed his words midsentence as a fork grazed the side of his cheek and clattered against the window behind him. He stared at me incredulously; whose arm was still extended from the throw, he grinned darkly, "alright pretty boy… you want to dance? Let's fuckin' dance" I tossed another fork in his direction from the cutlery drawer I had opened. He caught it in one hand and chuckled as he threw it back at me; harder and faster. I ducked as it pronged into the chest of drawers behind me. I peered up at the drawer top where a glass vase stood proudly, I snatched it and threw it against the floor; the glass shattered in tiny sharp droplets and I scooped some into my hands. There was a click as Arthur finished loading his gun and pointed it at my face, "you wanted to dance mate! This is what ya get!" I glanced over my shoulder and spotted a sword mounted on the wall. Without a second thought I tossed the glass shards at the Captain who instantly covered his eyes in protection, "agh!" he dropped the loaded pistol onto the floor. I launched myself at the sword and threw myself at the wall; yanking the hilt as hard as I could, it unsheathed smoothly with a metallic echo and I pointed it at Arthur who had just noticed the familiar sound. I stood strong as I pointed the tip of the sword at his cheek. He froze. Helpless against the chest of drawers. We panted like dogs.

"Do you surrender NOW?" I raised a brow. Arthur chuckled to himself; seeing that my hand was trembling like a leaf in autumn, he raised his hands above his head. Suddenly his foot kicked up the loaded pistol from the ground and he swiped it from the air and pulling the trigger in one swift movement. He froze. I dropped the sword and clutched my stomach. His face paled as I hunched over onto the floor.

"A-Alfred?" he stammered and dropped the gun as I fell to my knees. He collapsed beside me as I wheezed for oxygen, "Fuck! I never planned to actually SHOOT YOU!? FUCK!" I rolled my eyes back into my skull and lay limp on the glass dappled floor of his cabin. Arthur stopped breathing, "…Alfred don't-don't do this to me!" I inhaled shakily and opened my eyes.

"A-arthur…" he shook his head from side to side.

"SHIT NO! THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENIN'!" his hands were trembling and his face was as white as my shirt.

"I-I…w-w…" I pushed out words on a thin breath.

"What Alfred? What is it!?" he leant closer to my face and clenched my shirt in his fists; he looked so desperate.

"I-I won"

Arthur's face dropped, "wait… what was that?"

"I won" a smirk stretched across my face. Arthur stared down at me in horror. His eyes then drifted sluggishly to the knife I pressed quite forcefully against his genital area. One move from me would have sterilized Captain Arthur Kirkland for good. His thick eyebrows drew together and I watched haughtily as the rage began to bubble inside his chest.

"You… are the most conceited little brat I ever met" he snickered and wrinkled his nose in some strange form of furious embarrassment. A fire had built itself within my chest during this little scrimmage; ever since I had hit puberty there was nothing more arousing than engaging in heated combat, perhaps it was because it reminded me of the life of a Pirate? I'll never know exactly why it provoked me, but all I could tell is right now this fire was roaring like a lion on heat. Having this emerald eyed siren above me; only a mere centimetres away from touching, intoxicated me further into a personality that scared me… it terrified me. I couldn't control my racing adrenaline burning the insides of my veins; scratching the tubes to emerge into freedom, I was itching. Without even a single regard for the consequences I thrusted myself forwards onto Arthur who toppled beneath my weight and collapsed on his back with a dull thud; me on top. He groaned in pain as I pinned him to the floor of shattered glass; I didn't care for this, I knew exactly what I wanted. I grabbed the collar of his shirt and wrenched him fiercely against my chest; crushing my lips against his. He lay limp in shock as I moved my lips against his overwhelmingly rough; then he relaxed into my grip and began to reply, nudging slowly into my mouth further. This did not help my circumstances. Not in the slightest. For my subconscious reaction to this was like accepting an invitation; so I played harder. I thrust my tongue into his mouth and shivered as I felt it slide across his; I had been saving myself since childhood for this one man, never once did I get my hands on anyone until this moment. This was my very first romantic advancement… and it was with a pirate. The only pirate I ever wanted. The hunger consumed me; I crushed him against the floor and trailed my hands repeatedly up and down his chest; smooth white skin like marble which further provoked me to make him mine. All mine. I grinded down against him and he made some funny noise; which I paid no attention to, all I wanted was to make him mine. To quell this starvation.

Something sharp nipped at my tongue. I paid it no thought.

Arthur began to squirm wildly beneath me. Then suddenly he bit down hard on my lip.

"AGH!" I recoiled and pulled away, pressing the back of my hand on my lip. It felt like I had been stung by a wasp. Blood throbbed down my chin. Arthur struggled out from beneath me and clambered onto his feet. Preoccupied with the pain I did not notice the fast approaching foot to the face. I toppled to the ground and cried in pain as the glass shards littering the floor delved into my back when Arthur pushed his foot upon my chest.

That is when I realised who I had become during that small period of time. What I had become. My selfishness devoured me and skewed my morals, I was not myself. It hit me like a brick. What the hell happened? Perhaps was I turning into a Pirate myself… greedy, selfish and _sadistic_.

Arthur stepped down on my chest harder; my ribs creaked dangerously beneath the weight of his black boot. He wiped his bottom lip carelessly and glared down at me with the sharpness of a thousand knives; freshly sharpened, "You may have won this time round, Alfred Franklin Jones…" he sneered down at me in what seemed to be an intrigued disgust, "but you forget," suddenly the knife I had used to beat him grazed the skin beside my right eyes and embedded itself in the floor beside my head. A thin dribble of blood dripped against the metal. Arthur smirked down his nose at me.

"_It takes __two__ to tango."_

* * *

_Hey Guys! Sorry it's been a while. Alot of things happening..._

_I am the Cultural Captain and school so I have to arrange alot of things hurhur... I'm also the Big Jazz Band vocalist for this year so I'll be super busy with that! (Can't help but think of Alfred or 'Mister Jones' from my other fanfiction 'POST SCRIPT' when I say I'm teh Jazz vocalist hehe)_

_I'm also playing lead role Sergeant Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls this year so that'll take up alot of time too!_

_So I hope you can forgive me if I don't update often - please bear with me :)_

_I HOPE YOU ARE ENJOYING! Please don't forget to review, follow and fave ;)_

_Thankyou!_

_~Pockethero_


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